Phantom Landscape, is a continuous narrative describing the glacial processes that formed the area thousands of year ago and beyond, and transition into elements describing animal and human presences.
This artwork is comprised of four adjoining parts:
SEATING BOULDERS: There are 2 differently-sized glacial boulders placed within a decorative swirling pond effect, suitable for seating, excavated from a site nearby. The boulders are inlayed with multi-coloured smalti (Byzantine-style coloured glass tile), as if to illustrate and highlight the effect that geological stratification has on geological materials over time.
PLANTER: The front concrete planter is similarly inlayed with smalti, suggesting a pre-erosion continuum with the nearby boulders.
STREAM: Leading south (and away from the mountains) down the sloping walkway and integral with the pond is a turbulent-looking “stream”, surface with multi-coloured seeded exposed aggregate, edged in inlayed aluminum and in a narrative twist, appears to be issuing out from the cascading stone and glass wall component.
WALL: The concrete/terrazzo wall mural, co-designed with artist James Harry of the Squamish Nation, depicts a more vertical process of crystalline ice, or primeval matter in an idealized crystalline form, becoming animated as it descends into a fluid cascade of Coast Salish visual motifs, forming a waterfall. Atop the waterfall is a 13 foot elongated textured hand-cut glass mosaic feature which resembles a hanging glacier, that transforms into a spirit bear when viewed from the south end of the pathway.
Granite boulders, glass tile, glass and gravel agregate
About the Artist:
Glen Andersen is a freelance designer and builder who specializes in public art projects: temporary installations, sculptures, and pebble mosaics. He usually works with community organizations and frequently collaborates with other artists and designers, working with teams of people in workshops. He has a special interest in pedestrian-scale art works.
